Digital Commons Network^™

Manipulating Belief Bias Across The Lifespan, William D. Carney

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In today’s political climate, when basic facts and reasoning are seemingly up for debate, it is increasingly important to be able to identify well-reasoned arguments, regardless of one’s political leanings, and to retain this skill throughout the lifespan. Research has shown, however, a persistent belief bias—a tendency to judge an argument’s validity based on its conclusion’s agreement with one’s beliefs, rather than its logical quality. Other findings suggest that belief bias can be reduced by instruction to avoid belief bias. The current project seeks to explore whether older adults, believed to be more prone to biased reasoning, respond differently to …

Humanities And Social Sciences Dissertation Bibliographies And Collections: The View From A Stem University, Trevor Burrows, Robert S. Freeman, Erla Heyns, Jean-Pierre V. M. Herubel

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

This study utilized dissertation bibliographies produced at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, a STEM-oriented university, to ascertain how well Purdue’s Humanities, Social Science, and Education (HSSE) Library supports doctoral research. To examine a critical mass of data, the authors gathered all the bibliographies of dissertations written in 11 disciplines within the College of Liberal Arts in 2011 and 2015. Data for each citation included year of publication, language, format type, and local availability in print or digitally. Revealing disciplinary trends in using sources, this study provided critical information for reconceptualizing the HSSE Library’s orientation to learning and research and …

Understanding The Utilization Of Community-Based Services In Late Old Age: A Participatory Approach For Connecting Through The Communication Ecology, Carrie Leach

Wayne State University Dissertations

As the pool of eligible recipients continues to grow, understanding service system utilization and barriers can help ensure very old adults can access support from their communities when needed. Mounting research demonstrates that investment in community-based services to ensure seniors remain independent translates to saved government dollars. As a contributing researcher of a multi-year county-wide older adult needs assessment in Monroe County, Michigan, data collected from 1,870 people revealed a communication disjuncture between seniors and service providers. In response, officials convened a post assessment working group that focused on communication and outreach. Along with members of the Community Advisory Group …

Iridescent Life Course: Lgbtq Aging Research And A Blueprint For The Future – A Systematic Review, Anna M. Muraco, Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen, Sarah Jen

Sociology Faculty Works

Background: LGBTQ* (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer) older adults are demographically diverse and growing populations. In an earlier 25-year review of the literature on sexual orientation and aging, we identified four waves of research that addressed dispelling negative stereotypes, psychosocial adjustment to aging, identity development, and social and community-based support in the lives of LGBTQ older adults.

Objectives: The current review was designed to develop an evidence base for the field of LGBTQ aging as well as to assess the strengths and limitations of the existing research and to articulate a blueprint for future research.

Methods: Using a life …

The Working Wife: A Three-Pronged Model Of Marriage And Women's Employment, Karris Mccollum

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

What literature exists on women’s labor suggests that as women gain financial and economic freedom, their role in the family and home shifts as well. The sharp rise in women’s labor force participation in the latter half of the 20th century provides fertile grounds for testing this hypothesis and quantifying the effect of working on the institution of marriage. Employment could potentially help or harm an existing marriage or contribute to the selection of compatible partners. In this paper, I examine the impact of rising women's labor force participation rates on divorce rates, marital satisfaction, and women's age at first …

Longitudinal Associations Between Functional Disability, Depression, And Suicide In Middle-Aged And Older Adults, Julie Ann Lutz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Suicide is a significant public health problem among older adults in the United States and around the world. There has been little research to date on longitudinal change in functional disability and depressive symptoms, both of which have been posited to be associated with suicide risk among middle-aged and older adults, and their association with death by suicide. The aims of this study were to 1) characterize longitudinal change in functional disability and depressive symptoms separately; 2) characterize the directional associations between functional disability and depressive symptoms in bivariate models; and 3) determine how different patterns of change among these …

ปัจจัยที่จําแนกระหว่างผู้ทํางานอาสาสมัครกับผู้ไม่ทํางานอาสาสมัครในกลุ่มนิสิตนักศึกษาเขตกรุงเทพมหานครและปริมณฑล, ดวงธรรม โชคชุลีกร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยครั้งนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาปัจจัยที่จําแนกระหว่างผู้ทํางานอาสาสมัครกับผู้ไม่ทํางานอาสาสมัครในกลุ่มนิสิตนักศึกษาเขตกรุงเทพมหานครและปริมณฑล กลุ่มตัวอย่างในการวิจัยครั้งนี้เป็นนิสิตนักศึกษาทุกระดับชั้นที่มีอายุระหว่าง 19-30 ปี (M = 22.13 ปี, SD = 3.37) จำแนกตามการทำกิจกรรมอาสาสมัครออกเป็น 2 กลุ่ม ได้แก่ ผู้ทำกิจกรรมอาสาสมัครในช่วง 6 เดือนที่ผ่านมา 142 คน และผู้ไม่ทำกิจกรรมอาสาสมัครในช่วง 6 เดือนที่ผ่านมา 120 คน ตัวแปรที่ศึกษาในการวิจัยประกอบด้วย การมีจุดมุ่งหมายในชีวิต ความเชื่อมั่นในศาสนา การจัดการความรู้สึกด้านลบ การสร้างคุณค่าให้กับสังคม การพัฒนาตนเองด้านการทำงาน การพัฒนาตนเองด้านการเรียนรู้และเข้าใจ การเห็นคุณค่าในตนเอง การพัฒนาตนเองด้านความสัมพันธ์ในสังคม และการมีต้นแบบจากพ่อ แม่ หรือเพื่อน ตัวแปรตามคือการเป็นอาสาสมัคร เครื่องมือที่ใช้ในการวิจัย คือแบบสอบถามข้อมูลทั่วไป แบบสอบถามความเชื่อมั่นในศาสนา แบบสอบถามการมีต้นแบบจากพ่อ แม่ หรือเพื่อนเป็นอาสาสมัคร แบบวัดแรงจูงใจในการทำกิจกรรมอาสาสมัคร และแบบวัดการมีจุดมุ่งหมายในชีวิต ใช้การวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลด้วยวิธีถดถอยโลจิสติก ผลการวิจัยสามารถอธิบายความแปรปรวนของการเป็นอาสาสมัครได้ร้อยละ 17.8 โดยมีปัจจัยที่สามารถจำแนกการเป็นอาสาสมัครได้อย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ (p< .05) 3 ประการได้แก่ ความเชื่อมั่นในศาสนา การมีต้นแบบจากพ่อ แม่ หรือเพื่อน และการมีจุดมุ่งหมายในชีวิต ทั้งนี้สมการถดถอยโลจิสติกสามารถทำนายการเป็นอาสาสมัครได้ร้อยละ 65.6

The Efficacy Of A Group Visual Art Bereavement Intervention With Older Adults, Rachel E. Weiskittle

Theses and Dissertations

Research on expressive art interventions for bereavement has burgeoned in recent years. Studies have supported their effectiveness in facilitating participants’ adjustment to loss (e.g., Rosner, Kruse, & Hagl, 2010; Uttley, 2015) and have revealed the frequency with which they are clinically implemented (Thompson & Neimeyer, 2014). Clinicians and recipients of expressive art interventions advocate for their helpfulness in grief processing (e.g., Gamino, 2015). Publications have highlighted particular visual art modules that facilitate adaptive adjustment to loss by providing avenues for self-expression, meaning making and continuing bonds with the deceased (Neimeyer, 2016), but few studies have quantitatively investigated whether they improve …

Assessing The Degree Of Access To Urban Public Parks For Older Adults In The Villages Metropolitan Area Of Florida, 2017, Yingsong Wang

Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid urbanization, the urban residents' demand for urban public parks is increasing. As a unique and representative age group, older adults put forward new requirements for the evaluation and rational planning of urban parks. Park accessibility is an important index reflecting the rationality of park layout, the accessibility of residents to the park and the social equity of park services. In this paper, buffer analysis and network analysis based on the ArcGIS platform were selected to analyze service accessibility and green transportation accessibility of The Villages metropolitan area of Florida respectively and then make a summary analysis. In …

Certified Nursing Assistant Turnover & Impacts On Rural Skilled Nursing Facilities A Qualitative Study & Recommendations For Practitioners, Marisa E. Hansen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The cumulative growth in the aging population in the U.S. calls for a high demand for long-term care (LTC) facilities. Furthermore, the LTC (e.g., nursing homes and assisted living facilities, etc.) consumers have become widely diverse (i.e., not just limited to older groups but now included children and adults with disabilities); demand for wide range of needs and support services. In coping with this changing environment, the LTCs, especially operating in rural settings, are faced with multifaceted challenges related to direct care staffing and turnover. In response to this outlook, the present study explores a research question to understand, how …

Exploring Social Worker Knowledge, Conceptualization, And Use Of Cultural Humility In Hospice, Shelby L. Schiller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This capstone project examined social workers’ knowledge, values, and beliefs as related to the concept of cultural humility to determine how hospice care professionals treat patients’ cultural preferences and traditions with respect and sensitivity at the end of life; as such practices have the ability to improve the hospice experience. Research questions addressed in the study (a) how social workers in Nevada define cultural humility in the context of hospice social work practice, (b) the values or principles hospice social workers in Nevada consider most important in providing culturally appropriate care to hospice patients, and (c) the ways hospice social …

Experiences Of Formal Caregivers Providing Dementia Care To American Indians, Damon Grew Peter Syphers, C.J. Schumaker, Ronald P. Hudak

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a significant public health concern for all elders in the United States. It is a particular concern for the American Indian (AI) population, which is one of the fastest aging populations in the United States and the smallest, most underrecognized, and most culturally diverse group in the country. A formal caregiver understanding of AD in the AI population is scarce. This phenomenological study was designed to discern what is known about AD in the AI population by exploring the cultural beliefs and experiences of formal caregivers who provide care for AI dementia patients. Specifically, this study …

Cognition, Repetitive Thought, And Systemic Inflammation In The Midlife In The United States Study, Elana M. Gloger

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Segerstrom et al. (2017) found that more repetitive thought (RT) was related to lower interleukin-6 (IL-6), in older adults at average IQ. This study aimed to replicate and extend this finding in midlife adults, with a daily measure of RT, and additional inflammatory biomarkers. 153 participants were drawn from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Refresher project; ages 25-70 (M = 45.07, SD = 10.96), 50.3% female, and 83% Caucasian. Cognition was assessed via the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone, biological data via fasted blood draw, and RT data were collected as part of the National …

Religious Heterogamy, Marital Quality, And Paternal Engagement, Young-Il Kim, Isaak Swan

Faculty Publications - Department of Sociology

Using data from a nationally representative sample of married fathers of school-aged children, we examined the association between religious heterogamy of parents and fathers’ involvement in children’s lives. We further examined whether that association is mediated by marital quality and father–child religious discord. Results showed that greater religious heterogamy is associated with less interaction and more relational distance between fathers and children. Results also suggested that fathers’ reports of marital happiness play an important role in mediating the association between religious heterogamy and paternal engagement. We concluded that religious fathers are more involved in their children’s lives insofar as their …

"We're All Aging": A Discourse Analysis Of Older Adults Aging Experiences In Humboldt County, Kaitlyn Dawn Boyes

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Age is a ubiquitous concept. One minute we are counting down the days until our birthday and the next minute we are ignoring the fact our birthdays exist. Society’s aging population is rapidly growing and is expected to double nearly double by 2050, this increase in population has led to a shift in treatment and attitudes towards both those who are aging and aging itself. There is currently a gap in the literature on aging experiences coming from those experiencing it; rather those in medical professions often dictate these experiences. To help fill those gaps this thesis explores how older …

When Does The Positivity Effect Emerge? : Age-Related Emotional Biases At Encoding And Retrieval, Hannah Wolfe

Honors Theses

The Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST) posits that as their future time perspective shrinks, older adults tend to be more motivated by emotionally meaningful goals and therefore experience what is called the “positivity effect” with age (Carstensen, 2006). The positivity effect had been studied in both attention biases (Isaacowitz et al., 2006a) and memory biases (Kensinger, 2008), with older adults dwelling longer on and better remembering the positive stimuli over the negative. Yet, few studies have measured emotional biases at both the encoding and retrieval phases, which is why this study uses eye-tracking to determine whether any biases in gaze patterns …

The Resident View In Nursing Homes, Diana L. White, Ozcan Tunalilar, Serena Hasworth, Jaclyn Winfree

Institute on Aging Publications

This article presents the Resident VIEW (Voicing Importance, Experience, and Well-Being), a measure designed to learn directly from long-term care residents the extent to which they experience support that matters most to them. The Resident VIEW contains 63 items across eight domains developed through cognitive interviews with residents in different types of residential settings (e.g., nursing homes, assisted living, and adult foster care). Residents rate items on both importance and their experience. In total, 258 nursing home residents living in 32 Oregon nursing homes were selected through a two-stage random sampling design and participated in the study. Results demonstrate that …

Gender And Age Of Migration Differences In Mortality Among Older Mexican Americans, Adriana M. Reyes, Marc A. Garcia

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Objectives: Using a gendered life course perspective, we examine whether the relationship between age of migration and mortality is moderated by gender among a cohort of older Mexican-Americans.

Methods: Data from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly and recently matched mortality data are used to estimate Cox proportional hazard models.

Results: Our findings indicate the relationship between age of migration and mortality is moderated by gender suggesting a more nuanced perspective of the immigrant mortality paradox. Among men, midlife migrants exhibit an 18 percent lower risk of mortality compared to their U.S.-born …

Effects Of Stem And Response Order On Response Patterns In Satisfaction Ratings, Jolene D. Smyth, Glenn D. Israel, Milton G. Newberry Iii, Richard G. Hull

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Considerable research has examined the effect of response option order in ordinal bipolar questions such as satisfaction questions. However, no research we know of has examined the effect of the order of presentation of concepts in the question stem or whether stem order moderates response option order. In this article, we experimentally test the main and interaction effects of both stem and response option order for items in self-administered surveys on response distributions and answer changes in eight satisfied/dissatisfied questions. We find consistent evidence that response option order impacts answers. We also find that the order of “satisfied” or “dissatisfied” …

Childhood Misfortune And Handgrip Strength Among Black, White, And Hispanic Americans, Natalie R. Smith, Kenneth F. Ferraro, Blakelee R. Kemp, Patricia M. Morton, Sarah A. Mustillo, Jacqueline L. Angel

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Objective: Although early-life insults may affect health, few studies use objective physical measures of adult health. This study investigated whether experiencing misfortune during childhood is associated with handgrip strength (HGS) in later life.

Method: Data on childhood misfortune and adult characteristics from the Health and Retirement Study were used to predict baseline and longitudinal change in HGS among White, Black, and Hispanic American men and women.

Results: Regression analyses revealed that multiple indicators of childhood misfortune were related to HGS at baseline, but the relationships were distinct for men and women. Over the study, having one childhood impairment predicted steeper …

Avoiding The Major Causes Of Death: Does Childhood Misfortune Reduce The Likelihood Of Being Disease Free In Later Life?, Monica M. Williams, Blakelee R. Kemp, Kenneth F. Ferraro, Sarah A. Mustillo

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Objectives: Although previous research reveals the detrimental effects of early misfortune on the development of chronic diseases in later life, few studies have investigated its effects on remaining disease free. This study draws on cumulative inequality theory to investigate whether experiencing childhood misfortune reduces the likelihood of remaining disease free over time.

Method: This study utilizes five waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study to test whether five domains of childhood misfortune predict being disease free at baseline (2004) and developing disease over time (2004–2012).

Results: Respondents reporting risky parental behaviors during childhood were less likely to be …

The Changing Lives And Relationships Of Young Children And Older Adults: Implications For Intergenerational Learning, Carmel Gallagher

Books/Book chapters

Based on innovative global practice, Intergenerational Learning in Practice presents a unique contribution to the field of intergenerational learning. Drawing on the Together Old and Young (TOY) programme, this book provides a comprehensive background to intergenerational learning, along with tools and resources to help develop and improve your own intergenerational practice. Experienced international authors from Europe, North America and Australia provide a broad array of perspectives on intergenerational learning, ranging from pedagogy to planning and community development.

African American Sibling Relationships When Caring For An Alzheimer’S Parent, Cynthia M. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most commonly occurring form of dementia that affects African Americans at 2 to 3 times higher rate than other ethnic or racial groups in the United States. As the number of older African Americans with AD grows rapidly so will the need for daily supports; therefore, informal caregivers, such as an adult offspring, often assume the role of filial caregiver. Focusing on the unique patterns of caregiving among African Americans, this generic qualitative study may help explain the adult offspring’s perspective on sibling relationships as they function in the role of primary filial caregiver. Equity …

Differential Relationship Between Physical Activity And Intake Of Added Sugar And Nutrient-Dense Foods: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Karsten Koehler, Julie B. Boron, Teresa M. Garvin, Matthew R. Bice, Jeffrey R. Stevens

Jeffrey Stevens Publications

A curvilinear relationship exists between physical activity (PA) and dietary energy intake (EI), which is reduced in moderately active when compared to inactive and highly active individuals, but the impact of PA on eating patterns remains poorly understood. Our goal was to establish the relationship between PA and intake of foods with varying energy and nutrient density. Data from the 2009–2010 United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used to include a Dietary Screener Questionnaire for estimated intakes of added sugar, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fiber, and dairy. Participants (n = 4766; 49.7% women) were divided into …

Physical Performance Trajectories And Mortality Among Older Mexican Americans, Miriam Mutambudzi, Nai-Wei Chen, Bret Howrey, Marc A. Garcia, Kyriakos S. Markides

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background: We sought to identify distinct trajectory classes of physical performance in Mexican Americans aged 75 years and older and to examine whether these trajectories predict mortality.

Methods: We used four waves of Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (H-EPESE) data for adults 75 years and older from 2004–2005 to 2013. Latent growth curve analysis was used to identify distinct trajectory classes. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between baseline characteristics and the newly constructed trajectories. Cox proportional hazards regression models examined the hazard of mortality as a function of Short Physical Performance …

Racial/Ethnic And Nativity Differences In Cognitive Life Expectancies Among Older Adults In The United States, Marc A. Garcia, Brian Downer, Chi-Tsun Chiu, Joseph L. Saenz, Sunshine Rote, Rebeca Wong

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives: To document racial/ethnic and nativity differences by gender in cognitive life expectancies among older adults in the United States.

Research Design and Methods: Sullivan-based life tables were used to estimate cognitively normal, cognitively impaired/ no dementia (CIND), and dementia life expectancies by gender for White, Black, U.S.-born Hispanic, and foreign-born Hispanic adults 50 years and older in the Health and Retirement Study.

Results: Among women, the number of years spent living with dementia for Whites, Blacks, U.S.-born Hispanics, and foreign-born Hispanics was 1.6, 3.9, 4.7, and 6.0 years, respectively. For men, Whites lived 1.1 years with dementia …

Biological Risk Profiles Among Latino Subgroups In The Health And Retirement Study, Catherine García, Jennifer A. Ailshire

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives: Latinos residing in the United States exhibit an increased risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases compared to non-Latino whites. This elevated risk contributes to a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension among Latino adults. Examining biological risk profiles of older Latinos as a “pan-ethnic group” and by Latino subpopulations may help to explain the increased burden of disease in later life among this population. The objective of this study is to document biological risk profiles among a nationally representative sample of older U.S. Latinos by nativity and country of origin.

Research Design and Methods: We use …

Brief Report: Sexual Wellbeing In Heterosexual, Mostly Heterosexual, And Bisexually Attracted Men And Women, Tierney K. Lorenz

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objective: To assess differences in sexual wellbeing among men and women with exclusively heterosexual, mostly heterosexual, and bisexual attractions. Method: An anonymous online survey in a convenience sample of 597 young adults (394 women, 203 men; average age = 20.04) assessed patterns of sexual attraction, desire, sexual functioning, and sexual satisfaction using validated questionnaires. Results: Individuals with mostly heterosexual attractions reported significantly higher solitary sexual desire than exclusively heterosexual individuals (women: d = 0.64; men: d = 0.68). Partnered sexual desire did not differ between groups. Women with exclusively heterosexual attractions reported significantly higher sexual functioning and …

The Use Of Compassionate Release Policies For Elderly Offenders, Lindsey Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research examined the use of compassionate release policy in response to the fastest-increasing segment of the prison population- elderly offenders. Though this policy is an approach to this problem, there was little available research regarding which correctional organizations in the United States adopt compassionate release and how it is used. The purpose of this nonexperimental comparative quantitative study was to examine the use of the policy in neighboring and distant state correctional systems relative to those organizations that used the policy more frequently to determine if the leader-laggard theory of policy diffusion was an effective policy-implementation framework. The research …

Staff Education Intervention To Enhance Care Planning For Older Adults, Mozhgan Peiravi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased prevalence of cognitive deterioration has increased the challenges of caring for older adults. This study's project site offers a psychiatric program for older adults with customized care for complex geriatric mental health patients. Clinical assessment and care management are often overlooked in geriatric mental health patients diagnosed with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). The purpose of this project was to deliver an education program developed from the Staff Training in Assisted Living Residences-Veterans Administration, P.I.E.C.E.S model and the Castle framework to 42 nursing and allied health staff of the project site. The project question explored whether …